Schmid property is purchased for future park land

The land once occupied by George Schmid & Sons, Inc., offices and bulldozers has been purchased by the City of Washougal, as a future park site.

The Washougal City Council voted 6-0 last night, to approve the $599,000 purchase of approximately 17 acres west of 32nd and Q streets. The money will come from park impact fees.

The city has been negotiating with the Schmid family for some time, according to City Administrator David Scott.

While the property acquisition was identified in the city’s Park Comprehensive Plan as “CP-3,” the identity of the land was not released during any previous council workshops or meetings.

“It was under acquisition status,” Mayor Sean Guard said. “It will be the largest single park in the city.”

Attorney Carolyn Simms, a daughter of George and Emma Schmid, represented the Schmid Family Limited Partnership I.

She admitted to getting emotional after the council’s approval.

“I am thrilled,” Simms said, adding that her mother wanted to thank the city leaders for their patience.

Permitted uses, according to Scott, include parking, a playground and sports courts, in the upper part of the site, near 32nd Street.

“The lower area will most likely center around habitat restoration, paths and trails and water access,” he said.

There is no timeline for development of the park, and there is no money set aside for development.

Councilman Paul Greenlee said the Schmid family is a longtime contributor in the community, and he referred to the George J. Schmid Memorial Fields as an example.

“Mrs. Schmid is giving back to the city,” he said. “Thank her from the depths of my heart.”

George Schmid & Sons, which started as a sole proprietorship in 1958, was incorporated into a family business in 1990. It had been located at 1407 32nd St., since its inception. George Schmid passed away in 1999, and Emma retired 10 years later.

The majority of the approximately 75 employees at George Schmid & Sons, Inc., lost their jobs by Nov. 30, of 2009, and the business transitioned to a home-based corporation, Schmid & Sons, Inc.

The demolition of the George Schmid & Sons, Inc. offices occurred in May 2010, making room for a planned unit development that could have included residential and commercial development.

The Schmid Family Limited Partnership had received preliminary plat approval for a 68-lot subdivision and planned unit development. The proposal would have included 11.3 acres of open space and a .66-acre parcel for future commercial development.

Although it had not been determined what business would occupy the commercial area, Kevin Schmid said at that time, it had been mentioned as a potential restaurant site if there was enough vehicle traffic to support it.